Dark Carnival

Berkeley, États-Unis

4.8

Fermé en ce moment

21 avis

Accepte les cartes de crédit

Contacts

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Téléphone :
+1 510-654-7323
Site :
www.darkcarnival.com
Adresse :
3086 Claremont Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94705
entre The Uplands et Woolsey St
Claremont
Arrêts et stations de transports en commun proches
400 mCollege Av & Woolsey St
420 mCollege Av & Webster St
510 mCollege Av & Alcatraz Av
Catégories :
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Carte

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Informations professionnelles

Cartes de crédit acceptées
Oui
Parking
Rue
Parking à vélos
Oui
Accessible aux personnes à mobilité réduite
Non

Aujourd'hui

Aujourd'hui 10:30 – 19:00
Fermé en ce moment
Heure locale (Berkeley) 09:54 vendredi 30 mai 2025

Horaires d'ouverture

lundi 10:30 – 19:00
mardi 10:30 – 19:00
mercredi 10:30 – 19:00
jeudi 10:30 – 19:00
vendredi 10:30 – 19:00
samedi 10:30 – 19:00
dimanche 12:00 – 18:00

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21 avis sur Dark Carnival

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Évaluation du lieu : 5
Oakland, CA
Dark Carnival has that quirky ancient bookstore feel, full of fantasy and science fiction titles, both current and obscure. The proprietor who sits at the front generally minds his own business, but will help you if you have questions. Personally, I like walking through here and even though it is a small bookstore, it’s stacked floor-​to-​ceiling with piles of books that gets even more crammed in the back. There is a set of stairs that leads to a second floor that has windows (so natural light coming in) and plenty of large and heavy artbooks to peruse through.
Sure, it’s not organized the way a Barnes and Nobles would be, but you’re not here looking for that. ;)
If you’re seeking comics, Dark Carnival’s sister store, Escapist, is right next door!
Évaluation du lieu : 4
Alameda, CA
Dark Carnival is a strange, yet eerily intriguing store with all sorts of random items: from books, to action figures, stocking stuffers, and calendars… they really carry a little bit of everything. I picked up a Very Hungry Caterpillar mobile for my baby (who enjoys all things hanging;) in addition to a free, paper batman mask that provided us hours of fun. I really look forward to having more time to rummage around this place. My only complaint was that many items had no price, despite the owner stating that everything should be marked, «unless he missed a few.» Definitely worth a stop in, though.
Évaluation du lieu : 3
Redondo Beach, CA
This is a good throwback ancient/​vintage styled book store, it’s great to find a resource like this which I think also has rare and out of print books.
It’s not like a Barnes & Noble that’s organized and well lit with an area to loiter, it’s a functional bookstore you can rummage through to find a lot of sci-​fi /​fantasy type books.
Parking in the area isn’t too bad either it’s tucked away from the main retail area of the neighborhood.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Sacramento, CA
If you like Borderlands in SF, you will LOVE it here. While Borderlands staff is super friendly and well-​read on all kinds of speculative fiction, Dark Carnival is just really special. Like a TARDIS, it’s way bigger on the inside, and full of up-​and-​coming sci-​fi authors from the Bay Area as well as the bigger names and classics. If you are looking for something in particular that you can’t find, they will order it for you and save it at the front desk.
Since moving away from Berkeley, I haven’t been able to support this place as much as I would like to. I heard sometime last year that they had some financial trouble, so I try to stop by whenever I’m in the area. The owner is super nice and knowledgeable, the selection of sci-​fi, fantasy, horror, and mystery is superb, and I would love for this independent bookstore to stay in business a long time.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Emeryville, CA
a nice stop on a long date: get a book, go for a walk in the woods, read it together. or to yourself, if it’s a date with yourself. i’m glad i don’t live too close, though.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Oakland, CA
This place is awesome. It’s how a bookstore should be IMHO. I am not super deep into the sci-​fi/​fantasy world (in that I don’t know a ton of the authors) — but what I was looking for they had. And, it’s not just used books– it’s a nice combination of both used and new. I found a few things I’d been looking for for a long time.
The staff was knowledgable and helpful. I don’t think the store is particularly dis-​organized. There are clearly marked alpha orders, true crime, science, witches, mythology, and way more. You’ll find delightful surprises around every nook and corner. I could have spent a lot more time and money here. Glad it exists and wish it many more years!
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Los Altos, CA
Just visited this bookstore for the first time on a fluke –we discovered it when we went to check out Escapist Comics on the same street. Dark Carnival has an excellent inventory-​I found at least two books I’d been hunting for several months. I love the layout too, it’s the kind of store you can get lost in and explore. It’s also the kind of store where there are books stacked right up to the ceiling. There’s some clutter here and there, FYI, looks like the store could use someone to help organize a bit. But I will definitely continue to visit and support this store!!! I’m so happy my husband and I discovered it.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Santa Cruz, CA
Really fun and eclectic selection of books. You could easily roam and peruse for hours. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Prices are good too
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Union City, CA
A great bookstore for sci-​fi and fantasy. A little less so for mystery fans, but still well worth the trip. If you’re claustrophobic or clumsy, beware as the bookstore is crammed with stacks of books everywhere!
They don’t seem to do signings as much as they did a few years ago, but I’ve been to see both Naomi Novik and Jacqueline Carey here.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Livermore, CA
Fantastic independent bookstore. It’s crammed with books, goodies and calendars. We each bought a calendar (seems like we always forget) and were delighted they were 50% off. My hubby found an out of print Iain Banks book which made him super happy.
Daughter was delighted to buy some Doctor Who novels. Looking forward to going back!
Évaluation du lieu : 4
Fremont, CA
Dark is right! It’s a firetrap in this store. Every nook and cranny is filled with awesome books. I found old Buffy the Vampire Slayer action figures, a guide to the creatures of middle earth, and «Pirates! And the Communists Adventures.» There were even plushy alien face suckers that I considered buying for a baby shower for a nerdy mom to be. It’s highly disorganized but at least you can ask for help to find what you’re looking for.
I did hear the attendant in front rebuff a potential customer who was looking for a very specific Dr. Who/​Star Trek crossover to make an eleven-​year-​old a very happy girl. The eleven year old me died inside when the attendant didn’t even want to check or ask. And just said «no». Minus one star for crushing an eleven year old’s dreams of crossover happiness.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Concord, CA
Slowly trying to discover all the great book stores in the bay area, and this one is tops! Great sci-​fi book store next to a great café.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Santa Cruz, CA
This is a great local bookshop, specializing in sci-​fi and things that people who like sci-​fi probably also like. Tons of really cool out of print gems as well. You might not necessarily find what you came in looking for, but you’ll certainly find several things to add to your to-​read list. The owner is a little aloof, but helpful. They gave me 20% discount when I asked if they was really going to charge cover price for a book with a worn spine. Made tons of great purchases here, I hope they stay in business for a long while. Oh, its got a great kids section too!
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Oshkosh, WI
Highly recommended Sci-​Fi/​Fantasy/​Horror/​Mystery book store. It is a gem. Sure, it’s somewhat cluttered, but that is completely part of the charm of it. There are literally books everywhere. On the floor, on the shelves, holding the shelves up, etc. There are also awesome novelty items hanging on almost every inch of wall space not taken up by, you guessed it, books! The collection is staggering. The out-​of-​print offerings are impressive. The hard to find tomes are accessible. I only spent about 30 minutes here (they were closing). I’d likely spend days if I had the time.
Ray Bradbury is my favorite author. With this place being named in honor of him, him having visited the store on multiple occasions, and they having a comprehensive Bradbury section –I’ll be baaaack.
Évaluation du lieu : 4
Oakland, CA
The best Genre Book store in the Bay Area especially combined with The Escapist Comics next door. To bad they don’t have used books.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Alameda, CA
Dark Carnival isn’t just a bookstore full of books; Dark Carnival is a bookstore full of books that I LOVE.
The colorful entrance is just the start. The walls are lined with everything from mystery to sci-​fi to films and television. And the tchotchkes! Where else can you find a Monty Python evil rabbit stapler or a Bibleman action figure?
Even the owner is a great guy, channeling the spirit of Manny from the show Black Books (which I’m sure they also have). Anybody who shares my love of cult movies and rubber duckies is AOK is my book.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Oakland, CA
Dark Carnival defaults at 5 stars. There are certainly issues with the store: the creepy, hideous older woman who always trolls near me and endlessly asks if I need help, the mysterious holes in the selection (is it really that hard to get one’s hands on a full compliment of JG Ballard?), Jack’s aloofness, the douchey, fan-​boy clientele, etc.
The store is worth visiting still despite these minor annoyances simply because it’s the best new bookstore devoted to speculative fiction around. We’re lucky to have it.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Pleasant Hill, CA
This small stretch of Claremont Avenue almost has it all — 3 book places, Furniture, Star Grocery, Semifreddi’s, a neat flower/​gift shop, and a recently relocated Scout «Hardware» Store. I got to see it all again last Sunday during street-​wide sidewalk sale. Parking is fairly easy, but watch out for the traffic.
As for the book places, all 3 have elements of fantasy. Afikomen Judaica has a dybbuk (or 2), The Escapist will provide Comic Relief, and Dark Carnival will «Beam You Up» to an extensive world of sci-​fi.
Dark Carnival also packed with books in the rafters, on the floor, and almost every space in between. This place could easily stage it’s own SyFy series — Nerdy Hero goes inside, starts reading far back in the stacks, loses track of time, finally gets hungry of a Semifreddi’s scone, and wanders out to find himself in the far future where everything has changed…
Évaluation du lieu : 5
Berkeley, CA
My god, this store has a crapload of sci-​fi and fantasy books. Books on shelves, books on the floor, books on stairs… it looks more like the apartment of a fantasy nut more than a bookstore. I was a bit overwhelmed, to be honest, so I just found a shelf with toys and played with them for a while to look busy while my girlfriend browsed the books.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
San Francisco, CA
This place packs a punch. It’s not huge, but first, they stuff everything to the brim and second, almost everything they have is like… super cool. They have all sorts of randomness, like Hardy Boys graphic novels (LOL), books about fake countries, and comic books and animé from all eras… and their selection of toys is omg out of this world. My Own Monsters, Uglydolls, a huge foamy gecko puzzle, among others. Cooler than cool.
Évaluation du lieu : 5
El Cerrito, CA
AMAZING.
Sci-​fi/​fantasy fan? It’s like they have at least one copy of every book there is. We found every single Terry Pratchett book, even those that were decades old, and even some UK hardbacks with the original artwork. In addition to the awesome book selection, there are just fun gift stuff for any geek in your life.
The place is small and cramped, but definitely worth digging through!